the notch on the ax and on being found out-第22章

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But　murderers！　exterminating　murderers！clothed　in　mystery　and
utter　darknessthese　were　objects　too　terrific　for　any　family　to
contemplate　with　fortitude。　　Had　these　very　murderers　added　to
their　functions　those　of　robbery；　they　would　have　become　less
terrific；　nine　out　of　every　ten　would　have　found　themselves
discharged；　as　it　were；　from　the　roll　of　those　who　were　liable　to　a
visit；　while　such　as　knew　themselves　liable　would　have　had　warning
of　their　danger　in　the　fact　of　being　rich；　and　would；　from　the　very
riches　which　constituted　that　danger；　have　derived　the　means　of
repelling　it。　　But；　as　things　were；　no　man　could　guess　what　it　was
that　must　make　him　obnoxious　to　the　murderers。　　Imagination
exhausted　itself　in　vain　guesses　at　the　causes　which　could　by
possibility　have　made　the　poor　Weishaupts　objects　of　such　hatred　to
any　man。　　True；　they　were　bigoted　in　a　degree　which　indicated
feebleness　of　intellect；　but　THAT　wounded　no　man　in　particular；
while　to　many　it　recommended　them。　　True；　their　charity　was　narrow
and　exclusive；　but　to　those　of　their　own　religious　body　it　expanded
munificently；　and；　being　rich　beyond　their　wants；　or　any　means　of
employing　wealth　which　their　gloomy　asceticism　allowed；　they　had
the　power　of　doing　a　great　deal　of　good　among　the　indigent　papists
of　the　suburbs。　　As　to　the　old　gentleman　and　his　wife；　their
infirmities　confined　them　to　the　house。　　Nobody　remembered　to　have
seen　them　abroad　for　years。　　How；　therefore；　or　when　could　they
have　made　an　enemy？　　And；　with　respect　to　the　maiden　sisters　of　Mr。
Weishaupt；　they　were　simply　weak…minded　persons；　now　and　then　too
censorious；　but　not　placed　in　a　situation　to　incur　serious　anger
from　any　quarter；　and　too　little　heard　of　in　society　to　occupy　much
of　anybody's　attention。

Conceive；　then；　that　three　weeks　have　passed　away；　that　the　poor
Weishaupts　have　been　laid　in　that　narrow　sanctuary　which　no
murderer's　voice　will　ever　violate。　　Quiet　has　not　returned　to　us；
but　the　first　flutterings　of　panic　have　subsided。　　People　are
beginning　to　respire　freely　again；　and　such　another　space　of　time
would　have　cicatrized　our　woundswhen；　hark！　a　church　bell　rings
out　a　loud　alarm；the　night　is　starlight　and　frostythe　iron
notes　are　heard　clear；　solemn；　but　agitated。　　What　could　this　mean？
I　hurried　to　a　room　over　the　porter's　lodge；　and；　opening　the
window；　I　cried　out　to　a　man　passing　hastily　below；　〃What；　in　God's
name；　is　the　meaning　of　this？〃　　It　was　a　watchman　belonging　to　our
district。　　I　knew　his　voice；　he　knew　mine；　and　he　replied　in　great
agitation：

〃It　is　another　murder；　sir；　at　the　old　town　councilor's；　Albernass；
and　this　time　they　have　made　a　clear　house　of　it。〃

〃God　preserve　us！　　Has　a　curse　been　pronounced　upon　this　city？
What　can　be　done？　　What　are　the　magistrates　going　to　do？〃

〃I　don't　know；　sir。　　I　have　orders　to　run　to　the　Black　Friars；
where　another　meeting　is　gathering。　　Shall　I　say　you　will　attend；
sir？〃

〃Yesnostop　a　little。　　No　matter；　you　may　go　on；　I'll　follow
immediately。〃

I　went　instantly　to　Maximilian's　room。　　He　was　lying　asleep　on　a
sofa；　at　which　I　was　not　surprised；　for　there　had　been　a　severe
stag　chase　in　the　morning。　　Even　at　this　moment　I　found　myself
arrested　by　two　objects；　and　I　paused　to　survey　them。　　One　was
Maximilian　himself。　　A　person　so　mysterious　took　precedency　of
other　interests　even　at　a　time　like　this；　and　especially　by　his
features；　which；　composed　in　profound　sleep；　as　sometimes　happens；
assumed　a　new　expression；　which　arrested　me　chiefly　by　awaking　some
confused　remembrance　of　the　same　features　seen　under　other
circumstances　and　in　times　long　past；　but　where？　　This　was　what　I
could　not　recollect；　though　once　before　a　thought　of　the　same　sort
had　crossed　my　mind。　　The　other　object　of　my　interest　was　a
miniature；　which　Maximilian　was　holding　in　his　hand。　　He　had　gone
to　sleep　apparently　looking　at　this　picture；　and　the　hand　which
held　it　had　slipped　down　upon　the　sofa；　so　that　it　was　in　danger　of
falling。　　I　released　the　miniature　from　his　hand；　and　surveyed　it
attentively。　　It　represented　a　lady　of　sunny；　oriental　complexion；
and　features　the　most　noble　that　it　is　possible　to　conceive。　　One
might　have　imagined　such　a　lady；　with　her　raven　locks　and　imperial
eyes；　to　be　the　favorite　sultana　of　some　Amurath　or　Mohammed。　　What
was　she　to　Maximilian；　or　what　HAD　she　been？　　For；　by　the　tear
which　I　had　once　seen　him　drop　upon　this　miniature　when　he　believed
himself　unobserved；　I　conjectured　that　her　dark　tresses　were
already　laid　low；　and　her　name　among　the　list　of　vanished　things。
Probably　she　was　his　mother；　for　the　dress　was　rich　with　pearls；
and　evidently　that　of　a　person　in　the　highest　rank　of　court
beauties。　　I　sighed　as　I　thought　of　the　stern　melancholy　of　her
son；　if　Maximilian　were　he；　as　connected；　probably；　with　the　fate
and　fortunes　of　this　majestic　beauty；　somewhat　haughty；　perhaps；　in
the　expression　of　her　fine　features；　but　still　noblegenerous
confiding。　　Laying　the　picture　on　the　table；　I　awoke　Maximilian；
and　told　him　of　the　dreadful　news。　　He　listened　attentively；　made
no　remark；　but　proposed　that　we　should　go　together　to　the　meeting
of　our　quarter　at　the　Black　Friars。　　He　colored　upon　observing　the
miniature　on　the　table；　and；　therefore；　I　frankly　told　him　in　what
situation　I　had　found　it；　and　that　I　had　taken　the　liberty　of
admiring　it　for　a　few　moments。　　He　pressed　it　tenderly　to　his　lips；
sighed　heavily；　and　we　walked　away　together。

I　pass　over　the　frenzied　state　of　feeling　in　which　we　found　the
meeting。　　Fear；　or　rather　horror；　did　not　promote　harmony；　many
quarreled　with　each　other　in　discussing　the　suggestions　brought
forward；　and　Maximilian　was　the　only　person　attended　to。　　He
proposed　a　nightly　mounted　patrol　for　every　district。　　And　in
particular　he　offered；　as　being　himself　a　member　of　the　university；
that　the　students　should　form　themselves　into　a　guard；　and　go　out
by　rotation　to　keep　watch　and　ward　from　sunset　to　sunrise。
Arrangements　were　made　toward　that　object　by　the　few　people　who
retained　possession　of　their　senses；　and　for　the　present　we
separated。

Never；　in　fact；　did　any　events　so　keenly　try　the　difference　between
man　and　man。　　Some　started　up　into　heroes　under　the　excitement。
Some；　alas　for　the　dignity　of　man！　drooped　into　helpless
imbecility。　　Women；　in　some　cases；　rose　superior　to　men；　but　yet
not　so　often　as　might　have　happened　under　a　less　mysterious　danger。
A　woman　is　not　unwomanly　because　she　confronts　danger　boldly。　　But
I　have　remarked；　with　respect　to　female　courage；　that　it　requires；
more　than　that　of　men；　to　be　sustained　by　hope；　and　that　it　droops
more　certainly　in　the　presence　of　a　MYSTERIOUS　danger。　　The　fancy
of　women　is　more　active；　if　not　stronger；　and　it　influences　more
directly　the　physical　nature。　　In　this　case　few　were　the　women　who
made　even　a　show　of　defying　the　danger。　　On　the　contrary；　with　THEM
fear　took　the　form　of　sadness；　while　with　many　of　the　men　it　took
that　of　wrath。

And　how　did　the　Russian　guardsman　conduct　himself　amidst　this
panic？　　Many　were　surprised　at　his　behavior；　some　complained　of　it；
I　did　neither。　　He　took　a　reasonable　interest　in　each　separate
case；　listened　to　the　details　with　attention；　and；　in　the
examination　of　persons　able　to　furnish　evidence；　never　failed　to
suggest　judicious　questions。　　But　still　he　manifested　a　coolness
almost　amounting　to　carelessness；　which　to　many　appeared　revolting。
But　these　people　I　desired　to　notice　that　all　the　other　military
students；　who　had　been　long　in　the　army；　felt　exactly　in　the　same
way。　　In　fact；　the　military　service　of　Christendom；　for　the　last
ten　years；　had　been　anything　but　a　parade　service；　and　to　those；
therefore；　who　were　familiar　with　every　form　of　horrid　butchery；
the　mere　outside　horrors　of　death　had　lost　much　of　their　terror。
In　the　recent　murder　there　had　not　been　much　to　call　forth
sympathy。　　The　family　consisted　of　two　old　bachelors；　two　sisters；
and　one　grandniece。　　The　niece　was　absent　on　a　visit；　and　the　two
old　men　were　cynical　misers；　to　whom　little　personal　interest
attached。　　Still；　in　this　case　as　in　that　of　the　Weishaupts；　the
same　twofold　mystery　confounded　the　public　mindthe　mystery　of　the
HOW；　and　the　profounder　mystery　of　the　WHY。　　Here；　again；　no　atom
of　property　was　taken；　though　both　the　misers　had　hordes　of　ducats
and　English　guineas　in　the　very　room　where　they　died。　　Their　bias；
again；　though　of　an　unpopular　character；　had　rather　availed　to　make
them　unknown　than　to　make　them　hateful。　　In　one　point　this　case
differed　memorably　from　the　otherthat；　instead　of　falling
helpless；　or　flying　victims　（as　the　Weishaupts　had　done）；　these　old
men；　strong；　resolute；　and　not　so　much　taken　by　surprise；　left
proofs　that　they　had　made　a　desperate　defense。　　The　furniture　was
partly　smashed　to　pieces；　and　the　other　details　furnished　evidence
still　more　revolting　of　the　acharnement　with　which　the　struggle　had
been　maintained。　　In　fact；　with　THEM　a　surprise　must　have　been
impracticable；　as　they　admitted　nobody　into　their　house　on　visiting
terms。　　It　was　thought　singular　that　from　each　of　these　domestic
tragedies　a　benefit　of　the　same　sort　should　result　to　young　persons
standing　in　nearly　the　same　relation。　　The　girl　who　gave　the　alarm
at　the　ball；　with　two　little　sisters；　and　a　little　orphan　nephew；
their　cousin；　divided　the　very　large　inheritance　of　the　Weishaupts；
and　in　this　latter　case　the　accumulated　savings　of　two　long　lives
all　vested　in　the　person　of　the　amiable　grandniece。

But　now；　as　if　in　mockery　of　all　our　anxious　consultations　and
elaborate　devices；　three　fresh　murders　took　place　on　the　two
consecutive　nights　succeeding　these　new　arrangements。　　And　in　one
case；　as　nearly　as　time　could　be　noted；　the　mounted　patrol　must
have　been　within　call　at　the　very　moment　when　the　awful　work　was
going　on。　　I　shall　not　dwell　much　upon　them；　but　a　few
circumstances　are　too　interesting　to　be　passed　over。　　The　earliest
case　on　the　first　of　the　two　nights　was　that　of　a　currier。　　He　was
fifty　years　old；　not　rich；　but　well　off。　　His　first　wife　was　dead；
and　his　daughters　by　her　were　married　away　from　their　father's
house。　　He　had　married　a　second　wife；　but；　having　no　children　by
her；　and　keeping　no　servants；　it　is　probable　that；　but　for　an
accident；　no　third　person　would　have　been　in　the　house　at　the　time
when　the　murderers　got　admittance。　　About　seven　o'clock；　a
wayfaring　man；　a　journeyman　currier；　who；　according　to　our　German
system；　was　now　in　his　wanderjahre；　entered　the　city　from　the
forest。　　At　the　gate　he　made　some　inquiries　about　the　curriers　and
tanners　of　our　town；　and；　agreeably　to　the　information　he　received；
made　his　way　to　this　Mr。　Heinberg。　　Mr。　Heinberg　refused　to　admit
him；　until　he　mentioned　his　errand；　and　pushed　below　the　door　a
letter　of　recommendation　from　a　Silesian　correspondent；　describing
him　as　an　excellent　and　steady　workman。　　Wanting　such　a　man；　and
satisfied　by　the　answers　returned　that　he　was　what　he　represented
himself；　Mr。　Heinberg　unbolted　his　door　and　admitted　him。　　Then；
after　slipping　the　bolt　into　its　place；　he　bade　him　sit　to　the
fire；　brought　him　a　glass　of　beer；　conversed　with　him